a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a security device for a bottle—that is to say, a device which may be secured to a bottle and which may serve to reduce the likelihood of misappropriation of the bottle, for example from a shop or store.
b) Description of the Prior Art
Theft of various products from shops is an ever increasing problem, especially with self-selection stores. In an attempt to address this problem, it is now a common practice to attach a security label to the products on offer, even for products not having an especially high value, which security label is adapted and configured to trigger an alarm mechanism should the product carrying the label be taken out of the store before the label has been disabled in some way, or otherwise removed from the product.
With many products, label-based security systems work well but an important aspect of security systems of this kind is that the system should be highly visible, so as to act as a deterrent against theft. On the other hand, the label should not damage the product, or otherwise make the product less attractive to a purchaser. In view of this, some security systems utilise a device which is intended only for temporary attachment to a product so long as the product remains in the shop—for example, in the case of clothing. At the time of purchase of the product, the security device is removed from the product so that the product may be carried out of the store without evidence of the previous presence of the security device attached to the product. A particular problem arises in the case of high-value bottles of drink, such as spirits, champagnes and vintage wines. The only way in which a label can be attached to a glass bottle is by means of an adhesive, but the use of such a label detracts from the aesthetic qualities of the product. Moreover, if the label has sufficiently strong adhesive to prevent it being removed in an unauthorised way by an intending thief, a purchaser cannot subsequently easily remove the label, for example if the product is purchased as a gift for a third party.
In WO 01/75254 (Plescon Limited) we have described and claimed a security device which is intended to be fitted to the neck of a bottle and which can be released only by subjecting the device to an appropriate external magnetic field. The device may be provided with a security label to which a store security system will respond, in the event that an attempt is made to take a bottle carrying the security device out of a store. Though the device of WO 01/75254 is able to function adequately with many designs of bottle, further research and development has significantly improved that device, in order to give greater security to resist unauthorised removal and also to permit the device to be fitted to a wider range of bottles.